Praying Mantis and Nunchaku

[Brazil Mantis]

Hi all,

Nunchaku is it a Praying Mantis weapon? My question is because some of brazilian praying mantis people (Mei Hua lineage) teaches this weapon and states it as a Praying Mantis one.

Regards,

[mantis108]

Interesting, are there more info about this Meihwa Nunchaku form? I am curious as to which lineage and who is the teacher? Also, are there mantis footwork and/or other Tanglang markers noticable?

There is a "Nunchaku" form in CCK TCPM. The weapon is commonly known as Shuang Jie Gun but traditionally is called Huai Zhang (sp ?) . It is make of a wooden handle side and linked with a metal hitting side. It is considered the first step toward mastering flexible weaponry.

I don't think Classical Tanglang has this weapon. I would venture to say this weapon could be added to some Tanglang lineages after 1900s at the earliest.

Mantis108

[Three Harmonies]

Is it safe to assume that this weapon is considerably different than the Two Section Staff (AKA Large sweeper)?
Jake

[Brazil Mantis]

Hi mantis108,

Instructor in Brazil about this lineage is Lee, Lung-Chi who teaches Eagle Claw, Praying Mantis, but he is also karate, tae kwon do instructor. His Praying Mantis came from Chang, Fu Chen lineage, Mei Hua Tang Lang Quan.

In the form has no mantis footwork or any mantis trademark.

Hi Three Harmonies,

It is not two section staff (big side and small side). It is a Bruce Lee move weapon of Enter the Dragon. In Brazil people say "nunchaku"...

Thanks,

[mantis108]

Thanks for the info. I am not familar with that lineage. If I am hearing you correctly, the form is more or less stationary? To me that does raise some red flags ... Wish there is a visual.

Warm regards

Mantis108

[sayloc]

There is a flexible weapon called a sui so gee (sp?) small sweeper. Similar to the di so gee - large sweeper. It is two pieces of wood chained together like the nunchaku. One is longer than the other. The long end is is between 2 1/2 to 3 feet long and the short end is around 15 to 18 inches in length. I have heard of it being used with the sweeper in one hand and a broad sword in the other. Very difficult combination.

I dont know about "praying mantis weapons". Seems like the masters adopted the weapons that they preferred. They probably just adapted the mantis foot work to the weapons formes they liked. There does seem to be common forms amoung mantis systems such as Yin ching broad sword and praying mantis staff.

Just observations. I cant read or speak chinese so am very limited in my research capabilities.

I will leave that to 108.

[JadeMantis]

I dont believe there is a nunchaku in Lee Kam Wing's 7 Star Mantis.

Sounds like Sayloc is correct. Could your sifu have brought this over from his Karate and and created a Mantis form around the weapon ???

Just my thoughts.

Cheers

JM

[WhiteMonkey]

Funny we have a nunchaku form also????

Our style is 7* WHF Clan.

We call it the small sweeper, both sides are wood held together with a small rope.

The form is a moving form... that has alot of quick stepping patterns and quick attacks using the small sweeper... kind of like the short stick form.

One of my brothers was learning this from Sifu and he brought in a standard foam
nunchaku, had a hard time learning the form beacuse the chain caused too much movement when doing the motions...compared to Sifu's, that had the rope as the link, the chain just sent the ends everywhere but where it needed to go.

[BeiTangLang]

Funny we have a nunchaku form also????

Our style is 7* WHF Clan.

We call it the small sweeper, both sides are wood held together with a small rope.

<snip>.

Interesting! If you could ask your instructor if he knows when it was added to the WHF curriculum it would be great! (I have often wondered how many groups use this simple weapon.....it has always seemed that more wold have.)

I don't know if I have ever asked you before, but under whom do you study?

Thanks for posting!
~BTL